IP News from Japan

U.S. Senate passes Patent Act reform bill

The most significant area of revision in the bill is the change from the first-to-invent rule to the first-to-file rule. At present in the U.S.A., a patent is granted to the first invention, but under the first-to-file rule, a patent will be granted to the first application.

Other areas of revision include the system for post-grant opposition, regulations regarding prior use, and provision of information on prior art.

Microsoft and Acer conclude patent contract regarding Acer

U.S. company Microsoft has announced the conclusion of a patent licensing agreement with Acer (Taiwan). The agreement concerns Acer-manufactured Android on-board smartphones and tablet computers. Microsoft has previously concluded similar contracts with multiple Android device manufacturers, and is continuing to build up its smartphone-related patent portfolio.

Major publishers warn digitizing agencies that "self-catering" is copyright violation

Seven major publishing companies and 122 famous writers and manga artists have notified over 100 Japanese digitizing agencies that so-called "self-catering" constitutes copyright violation. This "self-catering" refers to cutting printed books, scanning them and uploading them as electronic data. In recent years, following the spread of e-book readers such as the iPad and Kindle, demand for digitized books has increased and so has the number of agents practicing "self-catering".

Apple files patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung in Japan

Apple, which has been waging court battles against Samsung Electronics in the U.S.A. and various European countries, has also filed an indemnification lawsuit on the grounds of patent infringement in Japan. The dispute concerns patent infringements related to Apple's iPhone and iPad. Apple is seen to be aiming to keep Samsung Electronics activities in the areas of mobile phones and tablet computers in check.

Новости из ЕАПВ

Пресс-релиз о проведении семинара на тему «Евразийская патентная система. Электронная подача евразийских заявок»

24, 25 августа 2011 года в г. Алматы (Республика Казахстан) в Учебном центре филиала Национального института интеллектуальной собственности (НИИС) Комитета по правам интеллектуальной собственности Министерства юстиции Республики Казахстан состоялся обучающий семинар на тему «Евразийская патентная система. Электронная подача евразийских заявок», на котором лекторами выступили заместитель начальника Управления экспертизы ЕАПВ - начальник Отдела формальной экспертизы Д.Ю. Рогожин и главный специалист Отдела автоматизации делопроизводства ЕАПВ Д.В. Заставный. Работу семинара открыла первый заместитель директора НИИС Комитета по правам интеллектуальной собственности Министерства юстиции Республики Казахстан Н.Н. Сахипова. В работе семинара приняли участие около 50 человек, среди которых были представители промышленных предприятий, научных организаций и ВУЗов Республики Казахстан, патентные поверенные Республики Казахстан, сотрудники таможенных органов и областных департаментов юстиции, а также ведущие эксперты НИИС Комитета по правам интеллектуальной собственности Министерства юстиции Республики Казахстан и его филиала. Зам. начальника Управления экспертизы ЕАПВ Д.Ю. Рогожин в первой части лекций рассказал о системе охраны изобретений на основе Евразийской патентной конвенции, об основных этапах процедуры получения евразийского патента и о последних изменениях и дополнениях в Патентную инструкцию к ЕАПК. Вторая часть лекций была посвящена Договору о патентной кооперации (РСТ), текущему состоянию и перспективам развития системы РСТ, порядку получения евразийского патента на основе заявки РСТ, а также информационным услугам, доступным пользователям системы РСТ, на сайте Всемирной организации интеллектуальной собственности. Главный специалист Отдела автоматизации делопроизводства ЕАПВ Д.В. Заставный рассказал участникам семинара о новых возможностях портала информационных услуг ЕАПО (далее-портал). В частности, была представлена новая услуга, позволяющая осуществлять подачу евразийской заявки непосредственно через портал. Кроме этого слушателям было подробно рассказано об иных возможностях портала, доступных заявителям, таких как последующая отправка корреспонденции и документов по евразийской заявке; просмотр информации о стадии рассмотрения евразийской заявки; просмотр документов дела евразийской заявки и другие. Выступление сопровождалось демонстрацией работы данных информационных сервисов, в том числе в режиме реального времени. Участникам семинара также было рассказано о реализации в ЕАПВ проекта по переходу на безбумажную технологию делопроизводства по евразийским заявкам. В заключение лекторы ЕАПВ ответили на многочисленные вопросы слушателей, касавшиеся процедуры подачи евразийских заявок и получения евразийских патентов.

IP News from Japan

Regarding the guideline on description of request and drawings, etc. in applications for design registration

The JPO has created and published on its website a guideline on descriptions of requests and drawings, etc. in applications for design registration. The guideline corresponds to the examination criteria of design registrations that were amended on July 22, 2011.
The guideline can be accessed via the following URL:

Regarding JPO's post-disaster measures

The JPO has announced that, exclusively for businesses affected by the earthquake and tsunami in Eastern Japan in March 2011, it will extend grace periods that were originally due to end in August 2011 until March 2012, with regard to multiple procedures such as requests for examination of filed patent applications and payment of patent maintenance fees.

Apple obtains provisional order for injunction against Samsung smartphone sales in the Netherlands

On August 24, 2011, with regard to Apple's patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung, the Hague District Court in the Netherlands issued a provisional order for an injunction against sales. The court did not acknowledge Apple's demand for an injunction against sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab.

METI agrees to commence PPH with China

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has advanced consultations with China to initiate in 2012 a bilateral Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH), which is a system that accelerates patent examination. If this is implemented, it will be possible to bolster the acquisition of patents in China by Japanese companies.

News from INTA

Accountability for Enforcing Rules for Coming Branded TLDs to Be 'Bottom Up'

Warren's Washington Internet Daily

SAN FRANCISCO -- Prominent players in domain-name policy debated the absence of formal ICANN mechanisms for holding the sponsors of impending new branded top-level domains (TLDs) to promises about the standards for registering specific sites in them. From the audience at the .Nxt conference late Thursday, Steve DelBianco, the executive director of NetChoice, challenged speakers promoting the new domains as benefiting the credibility and reliability of Web information about how a sponsor of such a group, including Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund seeking to run .eco, will be held accountable for the way they uphold stated principles for registrations.

"Centralized enforcement ... is antithetical to the ICANN model," replied Elliot Noss, CEO of registrar Tucows. The set-up for the wide-open TLD category coming to the Web next year envisions "bottom-up enforcement," he said. Co-founder Jacob Malthouse of Big Room --organizing the Greenpeace .eco bid against would-be competitors and in parallel with .green efforts -- said his effort created a council of 13 organizations two years ago to enforce its standards. A "coal.eco" wouldn't be allowed, because it would be confusing, he said. .Eco "is for the sustainability community," Malthouse said. Real-estate industry players involved in a bid for .mls, as in "multiple listing service," "will kick our board out" if it doesn't stick to its promises, said organizer Brian Larson, the president of Larson/Sabotka Business Advisors.

"The market determined" that "there shouldn't be any requirements" imposed on sponsors by ICANN, said Peter Dengate Thrush from the audience. He was ICANN chairman until June. The accountability framework for sponsored top-level domains "is the wrong model," said Dengate Thrush, now chairman of Minds + Machines, a consultant on TLDs.

The new category of TLDs will give Internet users "a clear, consistent way" to find information about subjects such as sustainability in the face of the proliferation of sites from content farms and other efforts to game Google search results, Malthouse said. Dot-com is "a library without a Dewey Decimal System," he said. With .mls, the real-estate industry "can recover some of what we lost when we allowed 'MLS' to become generic," opening to any registrant the use of specific domain names including the initials, Larson said.

"MLS" is a trademark in Canada, Larson said, so his group wouldn't allow site-name registrations there without permission. Malthouse solicited advice from the International Trademark Association and other experts about best practices for protecting marks.

The new domains won't be a sure thing, speakers said. "The people that think they're going to be the dot-com killer are probably crazy," Larson said. Noss said "most TLDs in the dot-whatever space will be unsuccessful." He said creating hits will require innovation, like .mls names lasting only the length of a property listing or a .vip domain that imposes premium prices for a limited number of names and gives the first few to superstars at no charge. -- Louis Trager